


Shadows of his Past

by pinkie2054



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Human, Angst, Dark Sides are a Gang, Former Dark Side Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Human Sides (Sanders Sides), Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Past Anxceit, Sympathetic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:07:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24345520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkie2054/pseuds/pinkie2054
Summary: The Dark Sides are a dangerous gangs terrorizing the streets of Sanders City.And an encounter with them at his friends coffee shop threatens to destroy everything Virgil’s built for himself these past few years.With his past starting to catch up to him, Virgil struggles to keep what he holds dear before it’s ripped from him. Will he succeed? Or will the shadows of his past consume him?
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil & Creativity | Roman & Logic | Logan & Morality | Patton, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders & Sleep | Remy Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Logic | Logan Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Sleep | Remy Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Deceit Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders & Logic | Logan Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders & Sleep | Remy Sanders, Logic | Logan Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders
Comments: 9
Kudos: 50





	Shadows of his Past

**Author's Note:**

> This is like the 6th fic I’ve started and not yet finished... I have accountability issues.
> 
> This was started before svs redux so I’ll be calling Janus deceit.

Virgil sat on the windowsill of the coffee shop, scrolling through tumblr as he listened to his friend’s conversation. Roman, Patton and Logan’s friend, was arguing with Logan, Virgil’s childhood friend, about whether or not pluto was a planet. Patton, the owner of the store, was mediating by throwing in the occasional dad joke or reprimand. Virgil let a rare smile grace his lips as he enjoyed the serenity and mundanity of the moment. 

Alas, nothing can ever go his way. The door to the shop swung open, bells jingling, to reveal a group of people wearing black leather jackets entering the store. The two-headed snake insignia adorned every one of the jackets, and you could make out various weapons in their clothing. 

Patton hopped up from his spot at the table, nodding his head in acknowledgement. “Hi, everyone. How can I help you today? I thought I already paid protection fees this month?” Virgil looked up from his phone and narrowed his eyes at his friend, both at the quaver in his voice and the words it spoke. He turned his attention to the newcomers, looking them up and down before his eyes caught on the snake symbol and widened and his shoulders stiffened. 

A silky smooth voice echoed through the deadly silent cafe. “There’s been a lot of trouble on the streets lately. Protection tax is double this month.” Patton audibly gulped.

“I-I’m not sure I can afford that,” he confessed, wringing his hands anxiously. 

“I’m sure you can find the money.” Patton nodded and practically ran to the back room, presumably to grab money. Virgil felt dread well in his gut.

He watched himself as if he was in a movie and saw his face fall into an easy smirk, his posture straightening and his eyes raising from the ground. He hopped off the windowsill, drawing the attention of the leather-clad men. “Is that really necessary?” Virgil drawled, earning confused glances from Logan and Roman. He sashayed up to the leader of the group, raising a brow at him. 

“Virgil, surprise seeing you here.” Virgil let out an icy chuckle. 

“Well, my friend does own the store, so I’m here quite a bit.” He placed his hands on the leaders chest, leaning in slightly towards him. 

“Oh. I didn’t know that man was your friend,” the leader said, a slightly disbelieving tone in his voice. 

“Well, believe it. Say, do you really need to double the protection tax? I’m sure you guys manage without it.” 

“V, you know we have to.”

“C’mon, Dee! Please? For old times sake?” He leaned against Dee, looking up at him coquettishly. Deceit drew in a deep breath, held it, and then sighed. 

“Just this once,” he warned as Virgil stepped back. 

“Just this once,” he confirmed. “Thank you, Dee!” 

Deceit smirked slyly at the shorter man before gesturing with his hand, turning on the spot. Most of the men left, Deceit following, but two stayed behind.  
“It was nice seeing you, boo,” the sunglasses clad person murmured. Virgil drew them in for a hug. 

“I miss you guys too. Yes, you too.” He gestured to the man waiting off to the side. “Get over here, Remus.” Roman sucked in a sharp breath at the name. The three shared a tight hug before they pulled apart, bittersweet smiles on their faces. 

“Go, go,” Virgil shooed, “before Dee gets impatient!” The two left the store, leaving Virgil standing there in the middle of the room, alone. He waited until he was absolutely sure they were gone, and then he collapsed onto the floor, breathing heavily, the repressed anxiety coming back with a vengeance.

“Virgil!” Logan exclaimed, rushing to his side. “Ok it’s ok. Breathe with me alright? In for 4, 1, 2, 3, 4. Good. Hold for 7.” Logan began guiding Virgil through his breathing exercises as Patton came back into the room, an envelope of cash in his hand. 

He stopped short when he looked at the scene in front of him. A shell shocked Roman, a panicking Virgil, and a concerned Logan were the only people in the store. Putting his confusion aside, Patton ran to his friend. He put a comforting hand on Virgil’s shoulder but quickly withdrew it when Virgil flinched, whimpering. 

“Patton, it is generally unwise to touch someone in the midst of a panic attack without warning,” Logan informed Patton before continuing coaching Virgil through the 4, 7, 8 pattern. Patton, sensing that logan had the situation under control, walked over to Roman.

“Hey, Ro-Ro, are you ok?” Roman didn’t respond, staring at the spot where Remus had been. “Roman?” Patton shook Roman’s shoulders slightly. He snapped to attention, eyes darting around before focusing on Patton. “Hey. What happened?” 

“Virgil got up and started talking to Deceit, convinced him not to double the tax “for old times sake” and then hugged this guy wearing sunglasses and… my brother. Then they left and Virgil collapsed.” 

“Person,” a voice rasped from the floor. Roman and Patton turned to look at Virgil, who felt like he was once again in his body.

“What?”

“A person wearing sunglasses. Re-Remy is non-binary and used t-they/them pro-nouns,” Virgil told them inbetween hiccuping breaths. Roman nods, chagrined. 

Virgil pulled himself up into a sitting position, slapping away Logan’s hand when he tried to help. “Are you ok?” Patton asked.

Virgil began to shake his head yes, but was interrupted by Roman. “What the hell was that?!?” He screeched, waving his arms in Virgil’s general direction. 

Virgil immediately shrunk in on himself, looking at the ground. “Nothing.” 

“Nothing!?! You stand up, magically lose your ‘stutter,’ say some really ominous shit to the _leader_ of the fucking Dark Sides, convince him to drop the tax, hug those… those criminals, and all you have to say is ‘nothing’?” Virgil flinches at the aggressive tone in Roman’s voice. 

“Now, Roman, how about we just calm down and talk about th-“ 

“No, Patton, I want answers!” He turned to Virgil, grabbed the front of his shirt with his fist, and pulled him into the air by his collar. “How do you know my brother?” Virgil stares at Roman, panic clear in his eyes. 

“P-put me do-down, Roma-Roman,” he shakily commands.

“Not until you answer me!” Virgil’s panic fades and the look in his eyes is replaced with cold hard steel. He puts his hands on Roman’s shoulders, pushing himself up and kicking Roman in the gut with both feet. Roman drops him, doubling over and coughing, but Virgil rolls into the fall, landing in a crouching position a few feet away.

“I _said_ , put me down,” he growled. Patton took a step towards Virgil, making the young man snarl, taking a step back.

Virgil seemed to realize what he was doing and deflated. “S-Sorry , Patton,” He murmured.

Patton shook his head. “Don’t worry about it, kiddo.” Roman had at this point recovered from his coughing fit, and was glaring at Virgil suspiciously.

“So?” Roman prompted. “Anything else to say for yourself?”

“I-I-“ Roman cuts him off.

“Oh, lose the stutter! It’s obviously fake!” 

“Roman! That’s enough,” Logan scolds, crossing his arms.

“Why? People don’t just ‘lose’ stutters for a few minutes, that’s not how it works!” Virgil drew in on himself, his breath growing staggered. 

“There is a perfectly reasonable explanation for Virgil’s change in mannerisms, Roman,” Logan said with finality. His gaze flickered to Virgil. “However, that reason does not extend to this quite peculiar situation.” Virgil tensed. “I, too, would like to know how you are acquainted to, let alone on a first name basis with the leader of the Dark Sides.” 

Virgil shrugged, not willing to give any further answer. Logan sighed. “Very well. I am sure you will tell us in your own time.” He stood up, brushed off his jeans, and returned to their table. 

“That’s it? You’re just gonna let him off without explaining-“

Patton piped up. “Leave it alone for now, Roman.” And so, the four uneasily returned to their table, the conversation vacant and strained.


End file.
